What a regular cleaning does
A recall cleaning removes plaque and hardened tartar from the visible surfaces of the teeth and just under the gumline. It is preventive: the point is to remove the deposits before they cause anything.
It is what most people need most of the time, usually every six or nine months depending on how quickly you build up tartar. Some people genuinely need it every four months and some can go a year.
What a deep cleaning does
Scaling and root planing goes below the gumline, along the surfaces of the roots, in places a regular cleaning does not reach. It treats gum disease that has already started rather than preventing it.
It is done with the area frozen, usually over two appointments so one side of the mouth is comfortable to eat with while the other settles. Afterwards teeth can be sensitive for a week or two and the gums often look worse before they look better, because inflamed tissue shrinks back as it heals.
How the decision is actually made
By measuring. A probe is walked around each tooth and the depth of the space between tooth and gum is recorded in millimetres. Under about 3mm is healthy. Four and above means the pocket is deeper than a toothbrush or a regular clean can reach.
You can ask to see those numbers, and they are worth seeing. A recommendation for a deep cleaning that comes with a chart of pocket depths and some bleeding points is a different thing from one that comes with an adjective.
If bone loss is visible on an x-ray as well, that is the other half of the picture. Bone does not grow back on its own, which is why the timing matters.
What happens if it is left
Gum disease is slow, and it does not hurt until it is far along. The pockets deepen, the bone that holds the tooth recedes, and eventually teeth that are structurally fine become loose because there is less holding them in.
That end point takes years and is largely preventable. It is also the single most common reason people lose teeth they never had a filling in.
Common questions
Asked at the front desk.
Is a deep cleaning painful?
The area is frozen, so the appointment itself should not hurt. Teeth are often sensitive to cold for a week or two afterwards, and the gums can be tender for a few days.
Why was I told I need a deep cleaning when I have always just had a cleaning?
Because the pocket depths measured deeper than they used to. Ask to see the chart -- the numbers are recorded at every visit and comparing them across a few years shows what changed.
Does insurance cover scaling and root planing?
Most plans cover it, usually as a number of units of scaling per year rather than per procedure. The front desk confirms your coverage and shows the estimate before it is booked.
Next step
One phone call, and someone answers it.
3608 Carrington Rd #204, West Kelowna. Thursdays until 7pm, Fridays from 7am. Accepting new patients of every age.